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Helleborus x hybridus

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Helleborus orientalis, Lamarck (1789)

  • Perennial, mostly glabrous; to 18" in flower
  • Leaves basal, pedate, segments 6-10; often overwintering
  • Flowers white-cream-pink, spotted or unspotted; 2.5-3" in diameter
  • Ukraine, Turkey, Caucasus
  • Woods, scrub, clearings; elevations to 6500'

Though not particularly confusing morphologically, Helleborus orientalis has
caused as much confusion as any other species. For decades (and often still
today) 'orientalis' has been used to describe a seemingly unlimited number of
plants whether or not in fact H. orientalis was the only parent involved in
producing them. True, many hybrids have originated from H. orientalis, but
other species have also been used rather extensively (e.g. H. odorus and H.
torquatus). It makes sense to call garden hybrids Helleborus x hybridus and
reserve the orientalis epithet for the species.

The species is not common in gardens, though hybrids originally involving the
plants are rather widespread. Its popularity as a parent for hybrids is easy to
understand: Often the plants produce offspring that have dark, shiny green
foliage that persists through cold winters, even under the cover of snow. In
periods of extended harsh weather, its durable leaves can suffer damage, but
it is one of the more wintergreen of the acaulescent hellebores. The large
flowers can be pure white to cream/yellow, often with some pale green areas
in the interior of the sepals. Others are reddish-pink or cream/white with red-
burgandy spotting. These plants stand out well in gardens from a distance,
are easily grown in a variety of conditions, and are long lived and (like most
hellebores) are surprisingly drought-tolerant once established.

The Ukrainian plants include many examples of spotted flowers. These plants
are generally known as H. orientalis subsp. guttatus. Their status as a sub-
species seems a bit uncomfortable considering both spotted and unspotted
plants can be found growing in the same colonies.

Another group of plants where flower coloring has been the primary factor for
its gaining subspecies status is H. orientalis abschasicus. It occurs in central
and northwest Georgia and has reddish-pink sepals. In some literature, the
Ukranian and Caucasian plants are called 'Helleborus caucasicus'.